Improvement in revolving fire-arms



JOHN L. MOSS ANO EDWARD W. JOHNSON.

Improvement in Revolving Fire-Arms.

No. 116,078, Patemedlune 20.1871

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UNITED STATES- ATENT 'OFFICE JOHN L. MOSS AND EDWARD W. JOHNSON, OFCOLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVOLVING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,078, dated June 20,1871.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that we, JOHN L. Moss and ED- WARDW. JOHNSON, of Columbus, in the county of Lowndes and State ofMississippi, have invented a new and useful Improvement in RevolvingFire-Arms; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in theart to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing forming part of this specification, in which-n Figure 1represents a side view, partly in section, of our improvement infire-arms, showing the parts in position after firing. Fig. 2 is a sideView, partly in section,of the same, showing the barrel drawn forwardfor loading. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line c b,Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail face view of the rotating breech-piece.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention has for its object to facilitate the loading andshell-extracting process in revolving rifles and pistols; and consists,principally, in the use of a rotary breech-plate, which is hun g uponthe base-pin, so that it will revolve but not slide thereon, while thecylinder can freelyT slide, being, by keys, connected with the barrel.The breech-plate has grooved supports for the cartridge-head, and willretain the shells when the cylinder is carried forward, extracting themfrom the latter.

A in the drawing represents the base-pin of `the fire-arm, secured tothe stock in the ordinary manner. It has one or more longitudinalgrooves, c c. B is the cylinder. O is the barrel of the arm. Thecylinder is tted upon the base-pin, so that it can freely revolvethereon, but also so that it can slide, for which latter purpose headedkeys d are iitted into the grooves c, so that their heads are in contactwith the ends of the cylinder. The barrel O is locked to the cylinder bythe same keys d, or their extensions, so that it will slide inconjunction with the same. The barrel is guided, during its longitudinalmotion, by two pins, e e, which extend backward from its lowerprojection f into the lower part of the stock. These pins e slide outwith the barrel, as shown in Fig. 2, and prevent the turning or lateraldisplacement ofthe barrel without interfering with the free rotation ofthe cylinder. Upon the breech end of the base-pin is hung a plate, D,which can freely revolve, but not be longitudinally displaced. It is, bythe ordinary ratchet apparatus, connected with the lock to receiveintermittent rotary motion by the movements of the hammer. The plate Dhas in its face semicircular recesses, which serve as supports for thecartridge-heads, and have grooves g g, to receive the flanges of thecartridgeshells.

The arm is loaded when the cylinder is drawn forward, as in Fig. 2, whenthe cartridges can be successively attached to the plate D bybeingittedinto the grooved recesses of the same. The cylinder is then pushedback and locked by the ordinary lower catch l. It can now freely revolvewith the plate D, so as to bring the cartridges successively in linewith the barrel, and explode the same by the hammer. When, after adischarge, the cylinder is again moved forward, the cartridge-shellswill be retained by the plate D, which has hold of their flanges; theywill thereby be extracted from the cylinder. The shells are easilyremoved from the plate D, which can be recharged, as aforesaid. Thelongitudinal movement is advantageously obtained by means of a lever, E,pivoted to the end of the base-pin, and connected, by a link, j, withthe barrel. Its end can be locked to the frame of the lire-arm, when theparts are in position for iring, by a spring catch, l, as in Fig. 1.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patentl. The breech-plate D, provided with the groovedrecesses to constitute a holder of cartridges and shell-extractor, asset forth.

2. The sliding cylinder B, combined with the rotary breech-plate D,substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The barrel C, connected and combined with the rotating reciprocatingcylinder B, sub stantially in the manner herein shown, so that it canslide together with the same, as specified.

4.. The guide-pins e e, combined with the sliding barrel O and theframe, substantially sliding and also rotating motion of the cylinasherein shown and described, for the purpose der is obtained, asspecified.

specified. JOHN L. MOSS.

5. The levell E and link j, combined With the EDWARD W. JOHNSON. slidingbarrel and cylinder to operate the same, Witnesses: as set forth.

6. The base-pin A, grooved lengthwise7 com- H. C. GOODRIOH,

bined with the headed keys d, whereby the J. H. DELANY.

